Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Tuesday - April 02, 2013
From: Laredo, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Pests, Trees
Title: Is oak leucanium an invasive species in Texas from Laredo TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Is Parthenolecanium quercifex considered an invasive species in Texas? Does this insect attach itself to redbuds? I spotted and removed from my small 5ft Texas Redbud last year. It seems that it has affected it this spring with no blooms, no leaves on the main top part of tree. Is there anything I can do to save my tree?ANSWER:
We have to be honest, we are gardeners, not entomologists, and we never heard of this before, but we will see what we can find out.
On the website Invasive.org, we found this statement:
"Invasive and Exotic Species of North America
any species, including its seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species, that is not native to that ecosystem; and whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health."
On that website, we found this page on Parthenolecanium quercifex. It was referred to on that page as "oak lecanium." So, we searched for something by that name and got this site: Biocyclopedia Oak lecanium scale. According to this article, is mostly a problem on oaks; thus the name. From that article: "Other reported hosts include other oak species, sycamore, pecan, chestnut, birch, persimmon, and pricklyash."
In answer to your question: Is this bug invasive? Of course, it is. Is that what's causing problems on your Cercis canadensis var. texensis (Texas redbud)? We didn't find it mentioned in any of our research. This USDA Plant Profile Map does not show Texas redbud growing in Webb County, so there might be an environmental problem.
Since we are not entomologists, we suggest you contact the Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension Office for Webb County. If something is going on with that bug in your area, they should know about it.
From the Image Gallery
More Pests Questions
Problems with Ashe juniper from Lakeway TX
May 25, 2013 - Dear Sir/Madam,
I have been living for the last three years in Lakeway, Texas approximately 20 miles west of Austin.
In my back garden there are several ashe junipers about 15-20ft tall. However...
view the full question and answer
Problems with non-native Banana Shrub from Houston
May 01, 2014 - My 7' beloved Banana Shrub (magnolia) has white dots on top of the leaves and nasty black stuff covering the backside of the leaves. The plant is dropping leaves. What can I do to save it?
I has bee...
view the full question and answer
Affect of poisonous plant roots in soils for vegetables from Rusk TX
May 11, 2013 - I have a huge old flowerbed in front of my house that I want to plant veggies in, but I'm afraid to. It has a catalpa tree there, which I sell the worms from, but the entire tree (bark, leaves, flowe...
view the full question and answer
Sticky film on oak tree leaves from Whitney TX
September 04, 2012 - What is the sticky film that is coating leaves on our oak trees?
view the full question and answer
Lake Plantings and Geese
May 10, 2013 - I live on a small lake in Wichita, KS and we are over run with Canada geese. I would like to plant flowers around my patio (which is not allowed to be fenced off). Are there any flowers or plants that...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |